Doula And Birth Photographer Angela Gallo Is A Big Fan Of Masturbating During Labor

Orgasms and childbirth don't usually go together. Well, they do in the sense that orgasm is often tied to ejaculation, and semen is necessary for women to get pregnant in the first place. But during the actual act of squeezing a baby out of a vagina? Not so much. Angela Gallo, a 30-year-old doula and birth photographer living in Melbourne, Australia, begs to differ. Specifically, she's a proponent of masturbating during childbirth, namely because she did it herself and had some pretty incredible results.

"I knew what my body needed to function optimally, so that's precisely what I gave it," Gallo tells SELF of the experience, which she wrote about in a February 16 post on her blog. "I labored at home, surrounded by love and support. I was comfortable, and I felt safe in all that vulnerability. It was an incredible opportunity to connect to my body, my baby, my husband, and my daughter."

You might say Gallo's first birthing experience planted the seed for the masturbating-while-giving-birth plant to blossom during her second. "I carried a lot of anxiety around the first time, simply because I just didn't understand how shy the uterus really was! I wanted to be truly open and ready the second time around," she says. After doing research, she realized that touching herself during birth could actually help in various ways. "I wanted to make sure I was armed with as many options as possible for pain relief in my upcoming labour. In addition to the physical benefit, I wanted the experience to be enjoyable. So clitoral stimulation resonated a whole lot better with me than medical options," she says.

To be clear, she masturbated alone in a shower, not in front of everyone gathered at her home for the birth. Still, she says on her blog, "clitoral stimulation worked an absolute TREAT. It shifted my focus to my vagina, to the energy brewing within me. It made me feel connected, and made me feel like I had some control over what I was feeling." She also notes that the contractions were easier to handle, and she also enjoyed the rest in between them more than she otherwise might have.

Yes, having an orgasm during birth may be unconventional. But medically, there's no reason not to do it, and a few compelling ones to give it a shot if you're intrigued. Plus, you might have an orgasmic birth even if you don't actually try to. "Everything in the pelvis lives in same neighborhood," Idries Abdur-Rahman, M.D., a board-certified ob/gyn who has seen orgasmic birth in person, tells SELF. Although around 70 percent of women need clitoral stimulation to orgasm, some can also make it happen with vaginal penetration. During birth, all those wires can get crossed for a surprisingly orgasmic result. "Orgasms and labor both involve rhythmic contractions of muscles in the pelvis," says Abdur-Rahman. "As the baby is coming down, there's pressure on the cervix, vagina, and clitoris. For some women, that's all they need."

Abdur-Rahman confirms that just like Gallo says, having an orgasm during birth can help make the whole experience easier to handle. "The primary orgasm hormone is oxytocin, which is also released during labor," he says. "We call it 'the love hormone.' Any stimulation in the uterus, cervix, or vagina can trigger it." Oxytocin, released from the pituitary gland, can cause a flood of great feelings that make birth easier to deal with overall. Abdur-Rahman also says that one of his patients felt as though orgasm made her labor progress more quickly.

It might feel weird to consider touching yourself while bringing new life into the world, but Gallo describes her experience masturbating during labor as "not sexual." Instead, she says "it was a raw, sensual, primal response to my contractions as I neared pushing stage." So don't worry if it happens to you or if you like the idea of absolutely anything that might ease the birthing process (who can blame you?!). Mentally, it doesn't have to be the same kind of orgasm as the one you have during sex. Abdur-Rahman says "whatever helps during labor, go ahead and do it"—after consulting your doctor, of course.

Gallo has gotten both positive and negative reactions to her story. There are people who think what she's done is wrong, to which she says: "No one knows more about a woman's body than herself. No one is as invested in her baby than her. Her experiences in pregnancy, birth, and motherhood should not be limited by a societal pressure to conform or be the 'good girl.'" She also acknowledges that this kind of thing isn't for everyone, and that's OK!

Even though she's dealt with some blowback, Gallo is glad she's been open about her story. "The best feedback is from women who have experienced it, but have been to shy to discuss it for fear of being shamed, or maternal health professionals who reach out to me, excited as can be, saying that [my sharing] has opened their mind," she says.